Device for anchoring concrete to an insulating panel and form employing device

ABSTRACT

A form for constructing a concrete structure includes an insulating panel and at least one device shaped to anchor the concrete to the insulating panel. The device includes a base embedded in the insulating panel and a rebar support extending from the base. The rebar support is dimensioned to support rebar above a top surface of the insulating panel when the panel is disposed horizontally and while concrete is being poured thereon.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to forms for concrete walls and floors, and more particularly to a device for anchoring concrete to an insulating panel during a wall or floor forming process, and a form employing the device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional formwork for forming walls from pourable building material such as concrete consist of two opposed, typically plywood walls connected by a rod, trusswork or other connecting structure. More recently, it has become desirable to use insulating material such as expandable polystyrene (EPS) for the formwork, in order to provide thermal and acoustic insulation to the finished wall. In certain applications, particularly those where it is desired to inhibit the effects of “thermal inertia” of a concrete wall so as to employ the ability of the concrete to retain heat for temperature stabilization, it is desirable to employ formwork with insulated paneling on only one side. The other side, typically of plywood, may or may not be removed after full or at least partial curing of the concrete.

Various insulated formworks of these types, in addition to related technologies, have been considered, as shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,445 (Blackbeard), or U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,694 (Cooper et al.).

U.S. Pat. No. 6,526,713 to Moore, Jr. discloses an insulated concrete structure for forming walls or floors from concrete. According to one method for forming walls, Moore proposes connecting two panels of a formwork using a web structure, a portion of which is preferably embedded in an insulating one of the panels. After the concrete has at least partially cured, one of the panels being now adjacent to the formed wall, may be removed or remain as part of the structure. Moore also proposes another method for constructing a concrete wall or floor, including disposing an insulating panel in a horizontal configuration, and pouring fluid concrete onto the upward facing of the panel. A web member is partially disposed within the panel and extends through the upward facing surface of the panel. As the concrete cures it is anchored to the web member and thereby to the insulating panel. For use as a wall, the composite structure is tilted upwards once the concrete has at least partially cured.

Although the above references disclose insulated formwork of various configurations, improvements are desired particularly for enabling reinforcement of the concrete walls. It is therefore an object of an aspect of the present invention to provide a novel device for anchoring concrete to an insulating panel during a wall forming process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect, there is provided a form for constructing a concrete structure, comprising:

an insulating panel; and

at least one device shaped to anchor the concrete to the insulating panel, the device comprising:

-   -   a base embedded in the insulating panel;     -   a rebar support extending from the base and dimensioned to         support rebar above a top surface of the insulating panel when         the panel is disposed horizontally and while concrete is being         poured thereon.

According to another aspect, there is provided a device for use in constructing a concrete structure, comprising:

a base for embedding within an insulating panel;

a rebar support extending from the base and shaped both to anchor the concrete to the insulating panel and to support rebar above a top surface of the insulating panel when the panel is disposed horizontally and while concrete is being poured thereon.

The form and device described herein provide advancements over known devices used for forming floors or tilt-up walls due at least in part to the ability to support rebar or other suitable reinforcement during the floor or wall forming process while the form is horizontally oriented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a cutaway side view of a concrete structure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the anchoring devices in the concrete structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative anchoring device;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another alternative anchoring device;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of yet another alternative anchoring device;

FIG. 6 is a cutaway side view of an alternative concrete structure with a multi-part anchoring device; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of yet another alternative anchoring device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a cutaway side view of concrete structure 10, comprising a plurality of insulating panels 20, a plurality of anchoring devices 30, reinforcing rebar 25, and a layer of concrete 50. The concrete structure 10 is constructed by pouring a layer of concrete onto a form that includes insulating panels 20, each of which are formed of expanded polystyrene (EPS) by molding. Each anchoring device 30 is embedded in a respective insulating panel 20 when insulating panel 20 is molded. Each anchoring device 30 is able to support a section of rebar 25 above the top surface of the panels 20 in cooperation with one or more other anchoring devices (into the page and not shown) when the panels 20 are horizontally oriented as shown, while concrete 50 is being poured. After pouring, once the concrete 50 has at least partially set, should it be desired to use the concrete structure 10 as a wall, concrete structure 10 is tilted upward so as to be vertically oriented. Alternatively, the concrete structure 10 may remain horizontally oriented, as shown, for use as a floor. In either case, the anchoring devices 30 serve to both anchor the concrete 50 to the insulated panels 20 and support the rebar 25 during construction of the concrete structure 10 as shown.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the anchoring devices 30 in the concrete structure of FIG. 1. Each anchoring device 30 is made of rigid plastic and includes a base 32. A web 34 extends from the base 32 and has a length sufficient for it to extend through the top surface 22 of the insulating panel 20. As such, web 34 has a length that corresponds with the desired thickness of the insulating panel 20 into which it is to be embedded, the desired distance the base 32 is to be from the bottom surface of the insulating panel 20, and the desired thickness of the concrete 50 so as to effectively embed the supported rebar 25 within the concrete 50. Put another way, each anchoring device 30 may be formed in various sizes and/or proportions depending upon the desired configuration of the concrete structure 10 or the desired placement of rebar 25 within the concrete structure 10. For example, in FIG. 1, some anchoring devices 30 are longer than others.

At the distal end of the web 34 is a U-shaped rebar receptacle 36 sized to receive and, to a degree, retain rebar 25. Web 34 and rebar receptacle 36 combine to form a rebar support 33 for supporting rebar 25 above the top surface 22 of the insulating panel 20 when insulating panel 20 is disposed horizontally as shown in FIG. 1.

The base 32 of device 30 is embedded within insulated panel 20 and has a cross-sectional dimension that serves to generally anchor the base 32 within insulated panel 20. To this end, the base 32 generally is larger in one or both transverse dimensions (i.e. width and/or length) than is web 34 so as to enable to EPS when expanded to anchor the base 32 therewithin. Preferably, base 32 also provides a surface to which a fastener 80 may be attached in order to attach cladding 70 such as drywall, siding, brick veneer or the like to the bottom surface of the panel 20 into which the device 30 is to be molded.

Likewise, rebar receptacle 36 of rebar support 33 has shoulders 40 which serve to anchor the device 30 to the concrete 50. In this manner, when the concrete 50 has set, device 30 serves to substantially anchor the concrete 50 to the insulated panel 20, as is advantageous for further manipulation and/or use of the concrete structure 10.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, each insulated panel 20 has a stepped cross section such that it is a shorter height towards its edges than at its midsection. When edges of insulated panels 20 meet, together they form a channel which, when filled with concrete 50, forms a beam/column of concrete 50. The beams/columns of concrete 50 provide increased structural strength to concrete structure 10. Various configurations of panels 20 may be employed to form concrete structures of various types. For example, it will be understood that in the event it is desired to form a concrete layer 50 having a uniform thickness, a form employing insulated panels 20 with a uniform thickness may be used.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative anchoring device 30 a. Anchoring device 30 a functions in a very similar manner as does anchoring device 30 shown in FIG. 2. However, its rebar receptacle 36 a is a short channel formed in the top surface of web 34 a, and web 34 a has a uniform width along its height. A notch 35 a is formed in the web 34 a so as to better enable anchoring device 30 a to be anchored within the concrete 50; when poured atop and around web 34 a, rebar 25 and rebar receptacle 36 a, the concrete 50 enters into the notch 35 a and is able to set there for anchoring.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another alternative anchoring device 30 b. Anchoring device 30 b functions in a very similar manner as does anchoring device 30 shown in FIG. 2. However, its rebar receptacle 36 b is V-shaped. The V-shaped rebar receptacle 36 b has shoulders 40 b which function similarly to shoulders 40 of anchoring device 30 to anchor anchoring device 30 b within the concrete 50 that is poured atop and around it.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of yet another alternative anchoring device 30 c. Anchoring device 30 c functions in a very similar manner as does anchoring device 30 shown in FIG. 2. However, its entire web 34 c is V-, or wedge-shaped, and its rebar receptacle 36 c is a short channel formed in the top surface of web 34 c. The V-shaped web 34 c functions in a similar manner to shoulders 40 of anchoring device 30 to anchor anchoring device 30 c within the concrete 50 that is poured atop and around it. The rebar receptacle 36 c is a short channel formed in the top surface of web 34 c.

While various embodiments of the anchoring device have been shown, it will be understood that alternative configurations of anchoring device may be conceived without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention taught herein.

For example, the anchoring devices described herein may be made of molded plastic; other materials may be used such as high impact polystyrene, steel, and so forth. Depending upon the application, multiple materials may be employed, such as steel and plastic. Furthermore, for ease of manufacturability and/or transportation of the forms, the anchoring devices may be formed in multiple sections to be connected at the construction site. FIG. 6 is a cutaway side view of an alternative concrete structure 10 d with a multi-part anchoring device 30 d. The base 32 d of anchoring device 30 d creates a T-shaped channel into which a web 34 d with a correspondingly T-shaped end may be inserted. This configuration is particularly useful for easing transportation of panels 20, because the top of the base 32 d is flush with or recessed from the panel top surface and therefore panels can be stacked or otherwise handled without having to work around a protruding web 34 d. The web 34 may be attached to the base 32 d when the form is being put together onsite.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another alternative anchoring device 30 e. Anchoring device 30 e is similar to the anchoring device 30 shown in FIG. 2, having shoulders 40 e and a generally U-shaped rebar receptacle 36 e. However, anchoring device 30 e has a clip for retaining a supported section of rebar 25. The clip comprises two barbs 39 e, each positioned on the inner face of a respective resilient side wall of the U-shaped rebar receptacle 36 e. The barbs 39 e are sized and spaced apart so as to, when rebar 25 is pushed into rebar receptacle 36 e, be contacted by the rebar 25 and forced apart until the rebar 25 is sufficiently inserted into the rebar receptacle 36 e, at which point the pressure on the barbs 39 e is released and the resilient side walls spring back into their generally vertical resting position. In the resting position barbs 39 e are positioned partially over top of or against the rebar 25 and thereby retain rebar within the rebar receptacle 36 e.

Although embodiments have been described, those of skill in the art will appreciate that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined by the appended claims. 

1. A form for constructing a concrete structure, comprising: an insulating panel; and at least one device shaped to anchor the concrete to the insulating panel, the device comprising: a base embedded in the insulating panel; a rebar support extending from the base and dimensioned to support rebar above a top surface of the insulating panel when the panel is disposed horizontally and while concrete is being poured thereon.
 2. The form of claim 1, wherein the base is dimensioned to support attachment of cladding against the bottom surface of the panel.
 3. The form of claim 1, wherein the rebar support comprises a U-shaped portion dimensioned to receive rebar.
 4. The form of claim 1, wherein the rebar support comprises a V-shaped portion dimensioned to receive rebar.
 5. The form of claim 2 wherein the base and the rebar support form a T-shape.
 6. The form of claim 1, wherein the insulating panel is shaped to facilitate the formation of beams/columns of concrete.
 7. The form of claim 1, wherein the device is made of plastic.
 8. The form of claim 1, wherein the device is made of metal.
 9. The form of claim 2, wherein the cladding is one of drywall, siding, and brick veneer.
 10. The form of claim 1, wherein the base is molded into the panel and the rebar support is connected to the base after molding.
 11. A device for use in constructing a concrete structure, comprising: a base for embedding within an insulating panel; a rebar support extending from the base and shaped both to anchor the concrete to the insulating panel and to support rebar above a top surface of the insulating panel when the panel is disposed horizontally and while concrete is being poured thereon.
 12. The device of claim 11, wherein the base comprises a bottom surface for receiving a fastener to attach cladding adjacent the bottom surface of the panel.
 13. The device of claim 11, wherein the rebar support comprises a generally U-shaped portion for receiving the rebar.
 14. The device of claim 11, wherein the rebar support comprises a generally V-shaped portion for receiving the rebar.
 15. The device of claim 12 wherein the base is T-shaped and terminates adjacent the bottom surface of the panel.
 16. The device of claim 11, wherein the base and rebar support are separate but connectable.
 17. The device of claim 16, wherein the base comprises a T-shaped channel into which a correspondingly T-shaped end of the rebar support is insertable.
 18. The device of claim 11, wherein the rebar support comprises a clip for retaining the rebar within the rebar support.
 19. The device of claim 18, wherein the rebar support comprises a generally U-shaped portion with which the clip is associated.
 20. The device of claim 19, wherein the clip comprises a barb on a respective one of the two side walls of the generally U-shaped portion. 